1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a new and useful retainer package for resilient filaments and more particularly to a package for retaining at least one resilient surgical suture in a manner for ready removal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many surgical sutures possess certain mechanical characteristics such as stiffness and a tendency to be wirelike and resilient. In the past, such sutures have been retained in packages having interconnected panel members. Typically, the suture is wound in a figure-eight or coiled configuration about winding projections which extend through apertures formed in one of the panels of the package. The remaining panels of the package are then folded onto the suture to enclose the suture within the package. A disadvantage with these methods is that the sutures can be damaged during loading and/or storage. In the figure-eight configuration, for example, kinking and wearing can occur where the sutures cross over. When using winding projections, for example, the sutures can be damaged by stress when being wound.
The aforedescribed packages for retaining a surgical suture have also failed to take advantage of the resilient qualities of certain suture materials to aid in the loading of the package. In particular, it has been found that a surgical suture having resilient characteristics such as catgut or some of the synthetic suture products including polypropylene and polyester may be inserted or fed into an opening in the package in a manner such that during insertion the suture naturally assumes a coiled configuration within the package.
Accordingly, there is a need for suture retainers which reduce or prevent damage to sutures during loading and/or storage. There is also a need for suture retainers with internal cavities or retaining areas, which do not necessitate the utilization of winding projections around which sutures must be wound to be loaded. There is also a need for suture retainers which are adapted to store sutures in a configuration which avoids or reduces cross-over points. It is also desirable to provide a package which is substantially fully assembled prior to loading. There is also a need for filament packaging capable of storing and maintaining filaments in some form of spaced relation to each other so that access and removal of the filaments may be readily available without adversely affecting the filament.